Rising deaths, extreme racial disparities, and state inaction endanger pregnant Floridians

Orlando, FL — [May 2026] — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is calling for urgent statewide action as Florida’s maternal mortality crisis continues to worsen, with Black women facing the highest risk of pregnancy‑related death. Despite escalating dangers, the state has failed to provide transparent oversight, timely reporting, or meaningful policy solutions to protect pregnant people.

“Florida is failing its mothers,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “Maternal deaths are rising, Black women are dying at alarming rates, and the state continues to restrict reproductive healthcare while withholding the transparency needed to save lives. This is a public health emergency — and a moral one.”

Recent data show that Florida’s maternal mortality rate has increased over the past several years, mirroring national trends but with sharper racial disparities. Black women in Florida are several times more likely to die from pregnancy‑related causes than white women. Advocates warn that the state’s restrictive reproductive laws — including a six‑week abortion ban — have created additional barriers to timely, safe, and medically necessary care.

Compounding the crisis, Florida’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee has faced criticism for lack of transparency, delayed reporting, and limited public accountability. These committees are responsible for identifying why mothers are dying and recommending life‑saving interventions — yet Florida’s process remains opaque.

“Maternal mortality reviews are supposed to shine a light on preventable deaths,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW. “Instead, Florida has kept families and communities in the dark. Without transparency, there can be no accountability — and without accountability, there can be no change.”

FL NOW is calling for immediate statewide action, including:

• Full transparency in maternal mortality review processes, including public reporting and open meetings
• Restoration and expansion of reproductive healthcare access, including medically necessary abortion care
• Targeted investment in Black maternal health, including community‑based care models
• Legislative oversight to ensure maternal deaths are reviewed promptly and recommendations are implemented
• Evidence‑based policies that prioritize the health, safety, and dignity of pregnant Floridians

“Every maternal death is a family shattered, a community grieving, and a failure of public policy,” Deland said. “Florida must act now — not with political theater, but with real solutions that save lives.”

FL NOW urges lawmakers, healthcare leaders, and community partners to join in demanding accountability and advancing policies that protect pregnant people across the state.

Florida NOW remains committed to fighting for reproductive justice, racial equity, and the right of every Floridian to survive pregnancy and childbirth.

Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org

Reports of nonconsensual surgeries on pregnant women — including Black women in active labor — expose a dangerous crisis in patient rights

For immediate release April 17 by president@flnow.org

Orlando, FL — April 2026 — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is calling for urgent state and federal intervention following alarming reports that Florida hospitals have subjected pregnant women — including Black women — to nonconsensual Cesarean sections, in some cases using the courts to override a patient’s refusal while she was in active labor.

“These reports are horrifying,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “A pregnant woman in Florida was handed a tablet for a virtual court hearing during labor so the hospital could force a C- section she did not consent to. This is a violation of bodily autonomy, medical ethics, and basic human rights.”

Advocates warn that these cases are not isolated. They reflect a broader pattern of:

• Coercive medical practices

• Disproportionate harm to Black women

• Escalating fear among pregnant patients

• Hospitals invoking the courts to override patient decisions

These abuses are unfolding in the context of Florida’s increasingly restrictive reproductive health environment, where providers face legal uncertainty, and patients face shrinking access to care.

“Pregnant people in Florida are being treated as if they lose their civil rights the moment they enter a delivery room,” Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW said. “No one should be forced into major surgery against their will — especially not under threat of legal action. This is a severe violation of a woman’s civil rights. This will not be tolerated!”

FL NOW emphasizes that C-sections carry significant medical risks, including infection, hemorrhage, trauma, and long-term reproductive complications. When performed without consent, they also inflict profound psychological harm.

“This is state sanctioned violence against women,” Deland said. “And it is happening in a system already failing Black mothers at every turn. We have a past riddled with forced procedures, including the sterilization of women without their consent.”FL NOW is calling for immediate action, including:

• A statewide investigation into all cases of coerced or court ordered C-sections

• Clear legal protections affirming that pregnant people retain full bodily autonomy

• Oversight of hospital practices, including use of emergency court orders

• Mandatory reporting and transparency when patient consent is overridden

• Investment in Black maternal health and culturally competent care

• Accountability for institutions that violate patient rights

“Florida cannot claim to value life while stripping pregnant people of their autonomy and subjecting them to forced medical procedures,” Deland said. “We demand accountability, transparency, and immediate reform.”

FL NOW urges lawmakers, medical boards, and civil rights organizations to join in demanding an end to coercive obstetric practices and the protection of every Floridian’s right to safe, consensual medical care.

FL NOW remains steadfast in its commitment to reproductive justice, racial equity, and the fundamental right of every person to control their own body.

Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org